DISPLAY CASE

DISPLAY CASE

Well-travelled plastic, ‘what-if’ history, modelling experimentation and modified offerings comprise this month’s selection of reader-submitted projects.

Tamiya Vought F-4U-1 Corsair

Patrick Collins used his build of Tamiya's 1/48 Vought F-4U-1 Corsair with an early-style 'birdcage' canopy as a first attempt at applying markings via paint rather than decals. The national insignia and airframe serials were added using Montex Masks, while Flory Models washes were applied for the convincingly weathered appearance.

Hasegawa McDonnell Douglas DC-10-40 

Japan Airlines’ ‘Arc of the Sun’ livery was a fitting reminder that Hasegawa’s 1/200 DC-10-40 had been sent from Tokyo to 13-year-old Tarquin Sutch – a journey of nearly 6,000 miles. His out-of-the-box project involved posing the aircraft’s flaps and slats down to represent a machine in its landed configuration.

Zoukei-Mura Horten Ho 229 

Although Horten’s Ho 229 flying wing design never reached full production and military service, Belgian modeller Laurent Schmitz engaged in an ‘alternate history’ with Zoukei-Mura’s 1/48 scale depiction. His ‘what-if’ represents an airframe fitted with advanced Junkers Jumo 004-D2 engines for supersonic flight in the hands of test pilot Melitta von Stauffenberg.

Plus Model Hanomag RL-20 tractor 

German modeller Gert Brandl modified Plus Model’s 1/35 Hanomag tractor to represent a civil example, with the windscreen omitted and kit-supplied wheels replaced with 3D-printed items modelled on a period advert. A scratch-built toolbox and Master Box figures were added to the scene, which was formed from a wooden base and MiniNature scenic products.

Tamiya McLaren MP4/6

Constructing Tamiya’s 1/12 scale McLaren MP4/6 with all eight of the ‘DetailUp’ sets that TopStudio designed for the kit took João Mourão the whole of 2019. The main body is removable to reveal the wealth of engine and wiring detail added to the basic kit, while the markings depict Ayrton Senna’s 1991 Formula 1 World Championship-winning machine.

Airfix Avro Lancaster B.III

The Dambusters raid cemented the Avro Lancaster’s legendary status as the means of delivering the Barnes Wallis-designed ‘bouncing bomb’ during the daring attack. Alex Laws’ tribute included Airfix’s 1/72 B.III ‘Special’ and Bomber Resupply sets, plus Eduard undercarriage and cockpit upgrades, Quickboost gun barrels, Armory figures and a Coastal Kits base with static grass.

Airfix M3 Stuart

Airfix’s re-boxing of Academy’s 1/35 M3 Stuart light tank was a delight for Richard Hogg, who built a model of the type during his childhood. Friulmodel metal tracks, Black Dog stowage and Aber gun barrels were augmented with AK Interactive’s British Caunter Pattern set.

Airfix Hawker Typhoon Mk.Ib

Dave Eyles tackled Airfix’s new-tool 1/72 Typhoon, applying the kit-supplied 254 Sqn markings scheme with a war-weary, stained finish. The airframe depicted was based at Warmwell in Dorset during June 1945.

Airfix English Electric Lightning F.6

Breaking the theme, Shaun Berry also completed Airfix’s Lightning F.6 as a 74 Sqn machine with markings from Xtradecal. The paint shades used were Alclad products, but otherwise the offering was constructed out of the box.